Fuel injection control



Feb. 2, 1937. M HNSSON 2,069,306

FUEL INJECTION CONTROL Filed Aug. 6, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 PY zwnyw.

ATTORNEY 1 Feb. 2, 1937. M, HANSSON 2,069,306.V

FUEL VINJEQTION ACONTROL IN VEN TOR. MALTE HnNssoN B-Y #Mw/w.

A TTORNEY.

Feb. 2, 1937. M HANSSQN A 2,069,306

FUEL INJECTION CONTROL Filed Aug. 6, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 y mms/TOR. MALTE f H/-mlssoN ATTORNEY.` i

Patented Feb. 2`, T1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FUEL INJECTION CONTROL i. Malte Hansson, Alameda, Calif. I Y ppucation August s, 1934, serial No. 738,639

2 Claims.

ed to best meet varying speed and/or load condi# tions. 1

` Another object is to provide a control means which is positive in operation and is automatic as to its regulating qualities with respect to desired speed and load conditions for the engine with which it is' used.

A further object is to provide the control means I in a pump unit which is adapted for operative association with engines OL present4 and usual design without requiring any alterations op special adaptations of 'the engine structures. An added object is to effect the desired control entirely in connection with the working chamber of the pump unit, and in such manner that a sharp cut-oil' is provided for the charges delivered to the engine by the pump unit.

The invention possesses -other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and in the 'accompanying drawings, in which, f

f Figure 1 is a perspective view of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a fuel control system-:embodying the present features of invention. s i v 1 Figure 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic showing of the complete fuel control system as applied to one cylinder of the engine.

Figure 3 is an enlarged showing of a transverse sectionof an injection pump unit shown in Figure 2, the operative elements of the unit being shown `as related at the beginning of the working stroke of a pistonsof the pump.

Figures 4to 6 inclusive are similar to Figure 3 y and show operative relations of pump elements at successive times in a working stroke of the pump piston. Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatiashowing of the operative parts of the pump unit and of the range of operative adjustment of valve actuating cams thereof. I. d i Figure 8is a fragmentary end view of the injector pump unit and shows a centrifugal governor of the unit.

Figure 9 is a plan, and partly sectional view of` '55 the pump unit.

(Cl. 12s- 140) set of operating conditions for, the engine.` As

, Y Figure 10 is a stepped section taken through the unit at the broken line Ill-I0 in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a plan section at II-II in Figure sion ignitionl type and designed for operation under diierent speed and load conditions, it is of primary importance that both the time and duration of the injection of a fuel charge always be such as to most efficiently utiliie the fuel and 1o insure a proper engine operation under a given l illustrated, and for meeting the foregoing requirements, an injection pump unit I5 is provided wherein the beginning and end of injection are 15 both controlled for providing a multi-cylinder engine I6 with requisite charges of fuel at the best and corresponding times in the operative .cycles of each cylinder I'I of the engine as shown in Figures 1 and 2` of the drawings. 20

The present pump unit I5 provides a separate pressure pump structure for each cylinder I'I of the engine-for successive actuations in the order of firing for the cylinders, each pump including a piston I8 which is reciprocative in a cylinder g5 bore iforming part ofthe working chamber 2l of the pump. 'Ihe fuel is taken into the chamber 2i through an intake duct 22 which is controlled by a valve 23, and is arranged for discharge'to the appropriate engine cylinder I'i through a duct 30 2l provided in part by a connecting pipe 25 whichV terminates at an injector nozzle 26 having its discharge controlled byV a normally closed and spring-pressed valve 21, said valve being arranged to open to permit the flow of a charge tothe en- 35 gine cylinder I1 only when the pump) discharge pressure reaches a predetermined and desired value. A return, or relief, duct 28 leads from the working chamber 2l, and a valve 29v is operative. in said duct. C As is particularly shown in Figure 2, fuel may be supplied at thevintake duct 22 at a constant and relatively low pressure through a connecting j, pipe 32 which comprises the delivery pipe for a pump 3i. -The -puml 3| is' supplied-with fuel 45 from a re oir (not shown) through a pipe, and the fuel discharged from the duct ,2'Iis re- Y turned to they pipe 33 through a pipe 34., A constant discharge pressure is assured for the pump 32 through the provision of a' 'by-pass duct 35 connecting the delivery and intake for thepump and having a pressure actuated reliefV valve 3i operative to Open when a predetermined discharge pressure obtains in the delivery pipe 33.V

In internal combustion engines of the compres- 5 filling the injector pump chamber 2| .and the return valve 29 closed and the corresponding piston |8 making a working stroke in its cylinder I9, a closing of the intake valve 23 will thereafter cause the building up of a liquid pressure in the chamber |5 for effecting a discharge throughthe injector valve 21 and so into the engine cylinder |1 to be supplied. If, however, the valve 291s opened while an injection pressure obtains in the chamber 2|, the pressure in said chamber will promptly fall and injection will be sharply cut oif, and it is such a timed operation of the valve 29 which is utilized inthe present instance to control the quantity and termination of injection; for descriptive convenience, the valve 29 may hereinafter be referred to as a control valve 0r as a relief valve. 'I'he closing actuation of the intake valve 23 is preferably timed by a speedcontrolled governor whereby its closing is advanced in the operating cycle of the pump as the engine 'speed increases; in this manner, a variable timing of the beginning of injection is effected. In view of the foregoing, it will be understood that the valves 23 and 21 and 29 are mutually coactive for determining the timing `and quantity of a fuel charge to the engine, and that the speciilc device shown is designed to provide for such a fuel charge control.

In the disclosed embodiment of the injector pump l5, the pump pistons I8 and the valves 23 and 29 are mounted in a body block 38 which provides the working chambers 2| and is fixed in the top portion of a casing 39; in the present instance, the block 38 and casing 39 are each of rectangular outline. The pump cylinders lie in a central longitudinal and upright plane through the block and extend from the lower (inner) Block face to transverse ducts provided within the block and comprising portions of the working chambers 2|. Manifold ducts 4| and 42 extend longitudinally through the block at opposite sides of the aforesaid plane,l said ducts each extending to a block end and being respectively arranged for connection with the supply and return pipes 32 and 34 which appropriately connect them with their actuation to control the'valves in a manner to be hereinafter described. Discharge ducts extend upwardly from the chambers 2| for connectioh through the pipes 25 with the injector valves 21 of the engine, it being noted that the closed duct spaces provided in the pipes 25 and behind the valves 21 are always connected with a working chamber 2| as comprising an extension and part thereof.

As particularly shown, threaded bores 45 Vare provided \in the block 38 incoaxial relation with each pair of valves 23 and 29. said bores extending from the chambers 2| to the top of the block and being large enough to provide for the insertion of the valves therethroughI and the grinding of the valve seats. One of the bores 45 of a Vpair receives a sealing plug .45, while the'other bore receives a tubular connector member 41 which connects the pipe 2 5 with the chamber 2|. In the present instance, the bores 45 are alike whereby the plug 46 and connector 41 may be inter- It will now be noted that, with the liquid fuel' changeably mounted therein as may be desired or preferable.

At its free end, the stem 43 of the valvel 23 is provided with a radial ange 49; as is brought c,

out in Figures 5 and 11, the flange 48 is part of a member 49 which threadedly receivesthe stem' end whereby the flange may be variably disposed along the stem for adjustably varying the spacing of the valve disc and the flange. A lock-nut 5| is mounted on the stem for engagement with the member 49 to secure the latter in adjusted position on the stem. Each stem 43 extends through a body extension 52 at a point of the stem adjacent the member 49 and carries a bearing ring 53 above the extension 52. An helical compression spring 54 encircles the stem and engages between the extension 52 and the ring 53 whereby the stem is constantly and resiliently urged upwardly to normally unseat its valve 23, this valve condition being particularly shown in Figures 2 and 3 and 6 and 7. The nut 5| may engage the under side of the extension 52 to limit the unseating movement of the valve 23.

A push plate member 55 of the valve is adjustably mounted at the lower extremity of each valve stem 44. As particularly brought out in Figure 5, the lower stem end extends into a threaded bore in the member 55 and a lock-nut 55 thereon engages the member to lock the member in adjusted position on the stem. An helical compression spring 51 encircles the stem 44 and is operative between the top of the member 55 and the bottom of the block where the stem 44 emerges whereby the valve 29 is normally and resiliently held seated, as is shownin Figures 2 and 3 and 4. ,4

At its lower end, the piston I8 is provided with a push plate 58, and an helical compression spring 59 is constantly operative between the plate 58 and the block 38 to urge the piston to maintain a normally withdrawn position in its cylinder |9. As particularly illustrated, the

vpush plates 55 and 58 are cylindric, and guide bores are provided in the lower block portion for slidably receiving and engaging these members.

It will now be noted that' the valves 23 and 29 and the pistons I9 are arranged for displacement froml their -normal positions through the action of cams 5| and 62 and 53 which are periodically operative lagainst themembers 49 and 55 and 58 carried respectively on the valve stems V44 and 45 and each piston i8. `As shown, mu-

mounted on the side wall of the casing 39 and has one arm 88 thereof arranged for engagement with a cam 5I of the shaft 54. The other lever arm 59 is preferably forked to span the member 49 and -engage the upper side of the flange 48 of said member whereby a rocking' of the lever by the action of the cam 5| is arranged tov effect a closing movement of the valve 23.

' It will now be noted that the cam shaft 54 is tubular, extends from the rearward end of the casing 39, and rotatably carries a shaft 1| within its bore. 'I'he shaft 1| extends outwardly from liliY both ends of the casing and carries a disc 12 opposite the extendingend of the shaft 64, and'the latter shaft carries a disc 13 at its said end and opposite the disc 12. Like weight members 14 are pivoted at one end thereof to the disc 12 and at points of the disc adjacent its periphery. The weight members 14 are mutually coplanar and are connected by a tension spring 15 which extends diametrically of the discs. Pins `16 extend from tliginembers 14 through registering slots 11 and 18 provided in the discs 12 and 13 respectively.

The slots 11 of .the disc 12 are necessarily arcuate with their centers' of curvature at' the pivot points of the respective members 14, while the slots 18' are angularly 'related to the corresponding slots 11 whereby an arcuate movement of a'pin 18 is operative against an edge of the slot 18 whichit engages to effect a relative rotation of the shafts 84' and 1 I It will now be understood that the described arrangement comprises a centrifugal governor 19 for automatic operation to adjust the relation of the shaft 84 to the shaft .1I inv accordancevwith the speed of rotation of the shafts, whereby, as the rotative speed increases,.the weight members 14 move outwardly bycentrifugal 'force and against the increasing resistance of the spring 15'to thereby advance the action of the cams EI on Athe shaft 64 with respect to the cams on the shaft 65. If the speed decreases, the spring 15 operates to retard the cam action to a point where an effective centrifugal force on the weights 14 again equals the spring resistance.

The cam shaft 66 extends forwardly from the casing 39 and carries gears 8l and 82 at its protruding end. When the unit I5 is operatively associated with an engine, as the engine I6, the gear 8| is arranged for driven connection with the crankshaft of the engine through suitable gearing 83 and for rotation at half the rate of the crankshaft whereby the shaft 66 is arranged to make one revolution for each four-stroke cycle of each engine cylinder. The gear 82 is an elongated vspiral gear and meshes with a spiral gear 84 of like diameter fixed on the adjacent protruding end of the shaft 1I whereby the latter shaft may be driven at the same rotative speed as the shaft`66 and in synchronism therewith.

'I'he cam shaft 65 also extends forwardly from the casing 89, and its forward end mounts a spiral gear 85 which meshes with the gear 82 and has the same diameter as the latter gear. The gear 85 is splined to the shaft 85 for sliding adjustment therealong whereby its movement along the shaft is operative to advance or retard the operation of the cams 62 thereon with vrespect to the cams mounted in eyes 9i extending vlaterally from the casing 39 whereby it may extend along and rearwardly of the pump unit for actuationv by any suitable means. A compression spring 89 is coactive between the gear 85 and a collar on the cam shaft 85 rearwardly of said gear whereby the gear is constantlyl urged forwardly to advance the operation of the cams on the shaft.

By reference -to Figure 3, it will be noted that a set of cams 62 and 6I and 68 is there shown in mutually cooperative positions for operating the pump piston I9 and the intake valve 23 and the control valve 29 in the previously indicated order, the cam 52 engaging the push plate 58 of the piston I8 for the beginning of a working stroke of the piston. Under the latter condition the intake valve 23 is open and the control'valve 29 is closed,

y stroke position thereof. and the intake valve 23 has been closed. Since the control valve 29 is still closed, an injection discharge would be taking place from the working chamber 2| until the control valve 29 is opened. It will .be noted that the pressure in the chamber 2I would prevent an opening of the closed valve 23, even if the position of the cam 6I might permit it, until the discharge pressure is relieved by opening the valve 29.

At about three-fourths of the working stroke of the piston I8, the valve 29 has begun to open by the action of the cam 62, and the valve 23 has also begun to open, the latter occurring as soon as the chamber pressure is low enough to permit the spring 54 and the supply pressure of the pump 3l to jointly act; the present relation is indicated in Figure 5.

At about seven-eighths of the working stroke of the piston I8, the valves 23 and 29 are both open, as is indicated in Figure 6, it being noted that the further rotation of the cam 63 to permit a seating of the valve 29 must be. completed before the valve 29 may close. v It will be understood, however, that the positive and relatively low supply pressure of the pump 3l will keep the working chamber 2| full of fuel while the valve 29 is closing and/or a return stroke of the piston is occurring. It will now be noted that if the enginespeed increases, the increased rotative speed of the shaft Will retard the action of the cam 6I and injection Willvbegin at a later time in the operative cycle of theengine piston and the pump piston IB. It will thus be understood that the beginning of injection is automatically controlled solely by the action of the governor 19 to regulate the closing of the valve 23. v

The valve 23 might be rst closed at the beginning of a working stroke of the piston I8 through an appropriate advancing of the `action of the cam 6I. On the other hand, the valve v23 might be f lrst closed at the end rof* the piston stroke whereby no. injection pressure would be generated in the working chamber 2I even with the valve 29 closed. Inthe present instance, the working ro tation of the piston-operating cam 63 is approxf imately sixty degrees whereby the complete range of acustment of the cam-6I by means of the govj ernor 19 is limited to sixty degrees in practice, andV might be less. In the diagrammatic showing of Figure'l, the aforesaid possible degrees of advance and'retard of the cam 6I with respect to its disclosed setting are respectively indicated by.

the relative relations of the cams 62 and 83, the 75 1I WilL-through the action of the described govvanced. Similarly, a slowing down of the engine theoretical limits thereof in terms of a beginning of a valve opening are at the beginning and the end of a working stroke of the pump piston I8, whereby the range of possible adjustment of the cams 62 as effected by axial adjustment of the gear along the cam shaft 66, may also be sixty degrees; this possible range of adjustment is indicated in the showing of Figure 7 by the appropriate use of the letters A and R in association with direction arrows.

In the drawings, the engine i6 is represented as having four cylinders and a firing order of 1-3-2-4, and thefpositioning of the various cams of the pump unit I5 is shown accordingly. The transverse sectional views of Figures 3 to 6 are assumed to be taken for the forward, or first, cylinder fuel injection pump of the unit 15. ligures 2 and 'I show the coincident cam positions for the third cylinder, and in Figure 7 the coincident cam positions for all four cylinders are indicated at the numbers 1 to 4 inclusive. The settings of the cams on each cam shaft are, of course, ninety degrees apart in the order of ring of the engine.

Assuming the engine I6 to be operating with the valve-operating cams 6| and 62 in the disclosed operative relations to the piston-operating cams 63, the engine speed may be increased by retarding the action of the cams 62 to delay the opening of the valves 29 whereby the quantity of fuel injected will be increased. As the engine speeds up through the increased fuel supply, the cams 6I will be automatically advanced to advance the beginning of injection and further increase the fuel charge to the engine. When the desired speed is reached, the cams 62 may be retarded through an appropriate actuation of the shift rod 88 to'hold the engine at the desired speed. Y

In the case of an engine load increase at the same speed, the cams 62 would be rotated to appropriately increase the charge for maintaining the speed. It will thus be understood that all necessary manual regulation ofthe engine operation is effected solely through advancing. or retarding the action of the valves 29 through an appropriate manipulation of the shift rod 88, and that said rod replaces the usual fuel throttle rod for controllingV the charge delivered to an engine cylinder. It is ,to be noted, however, that the rate of flow of a charge tothe engine is not affected in the present method of control, and

`that only the duration of injection controls the quantity of a delivered charge whereby the ignition time is 'longer for a bigger charge. The

present controldevice is understood to be particularly advantageous when `applied to engines which are designed for the propulsion of vehicles for which the speed and load requirements may vary widely.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. While I have described the features and the principle of operation of a device which I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, I desire to have it understood that the showing is primarily illustrative, and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a pump for effecting an intermittent delivery of liquid charges therefrom, means providing a closed working chamber having intake and delivery and relief passages therefor, a normally withdrawn displacement piston for intermittent operative projection into said chamber, means constantly and yieldingly operative to urge a withdrawn disposal of said piston, a valve operative in said intake passage, means constantly and yieldingly operative to urge the opening of said intake valve, a valve operative in said relief passage, ,means constantly and yieldingly operative to urge the closing of said relief valve, simultaneously operative and different cam shafts providing cams for periodically actuating said piston and valves during a rotation of the shafts whereby the intake valve is arranged to be temporarily closed solely during a working stroke of the piston and the relief valve is arranged to be opened while the intake valve is closed, mutually engaged spiral gears connecting the reliefvalve-operating shaft with thepiston-operating shaft and arranged for a relative axial shifting v thereof whereby to adjustably vary the timing of the opening of the relief valve with respect to the operative actuation of the piston while the connected shafts are actuated at like rotative speeds, means manually operative for effecting a relative adjustment of one said spiral gear with respect to the othe'r, and means connecting the intake-valve-operating shaft with the pistonoperatng shaft for the operation of these shafts at like speeds.

2. A structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein the last-named means comprises an auxiliary shaft, means connecting. the latter shaft with the piston-operating shaft for rotation in synchronism therewith, and a speed-governed device carried by the auxiliary shaft and cooperative with the intake-valve-operating shaft in such manner that the latter shaft is arranged to be rotatively and automatically advanced with respect to the piston-operating shaft as the rotative speed of the shafts increases.

MALTE Hansson'. 

